Conflicted Hearts
by Royally Lost
Summary: Chat Noir loves Marinette but he's afraid to reveal his true self to her. Marinette is unsure of revealing herself to Chat. After a life-threatening akuma attack, they either have to risk finding out each other's identities, or abandon each other in their time of need. This is all happening while drama with Chloe is reaching a high, and things are finally going well with Adrien.
1. Chapter 1

Marinette woke up due to her alarm clock screaming at her to wake up. She blinked a few times to clear her blurry vision and almost screamed when she saw what time it was. It was currently 7:55, and she had to be at school by 8:05. This was not good at all. "Tikki please help me." She said, frantically shoving her clothes on. The kwami tried to help as much as she could by packing Marinette's backpack. "Thanks Tikki." Marinette said, patting her on her small pink head. "No problem Mari." Tikki replied. She slung her backpack over her back and Tikki flew in.

The bluenette flew down the stairs, grabbing an apple and some cookies for Tikki on her way. Thankfully, the bakery didn't open until 10 AM so her parents weren't awake. "Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my _GOSH_ I am going to be _so_ late." Marinette muttered to herself as she ran down the sidewalk. Usually she would stop to admire the springtime beauty, but Marinette couldn't risk being late again. Before she flew up the steps in front of the school, she took a breath and pulled out her phone to check the time. It was 8:03 AM. She heartily laughed, and then made her way inside. Just as she walked inside the classroom, the bell rang.

Her teacher raised her eyebrow at Marinette but didn't say anything else. "Score." Alya cheered as Marinette slipped into her seat. Marinette chuckled at that.

"Alright everyone, settle down. It's time to get started." The rowdy class quieted at the teacher's command, but there was still excited tittering flowing in the air. "What is everyone so excited about?" Marinette whispered to Alya. "Did you forget already? The big competition!" The memory flashed through her mind. She smiled at Alya. "I remember now." She said.

"As you all might recall, last Friday I mentioned a competition involving designing clothing for the Agreste Spring Fashion Line." The teacher paused and smiled at Adrien. Marinette noticed how the muscles in his back tensed up a bit. Was he nervous about the attention? He couldn't be. He's a model for goodness' sake! _I wish I could ask him about it._ Marinette thought.

The moment passed and the teacher continued speaking. "For this competition you only have to design one item of clothing; a shirt. The only rules are that the sleeves don't go past the elbow, and to be creative! Use lots of colors, or perhaps only one. Design a graphic tee! Or maybe a patterned shirt. The possibilities are endless." Some of the students seemed enraptured by her speech, while others rolled their eyes at her enthusiasm. The teacher gave the students a thin smile. "If you do happen to enter this competition you don't have to take the test at the end of this unit.

This caught everyone's attention. The teacher laughed at how quickly everyone responded to her statement. She pulled out a black basket filled with papers and put it on her desk. "If you would like to enter into the competition, then please grab a sheet. It has all of the information you'll need."

Nathaniel, a shy redhead who sat towards the back, raised his hand. "What if we don't know how to sew?" The teacher beamed at his question. "Well, the sewing club will happily assist any students who come to them with this project. The club meets every day after school and meetings end at four pm."

After that was said, students starting gathering around the basket and taking papers. Almost everyone in the class had gotten a paper, except for Juleka, Alix, Nino, and Adrien. After Alya and Marinette got the paper, they chattered excitedly at their seats. Nino and Adrien turned to join in on the conversation.

"Wow Marinette, I would be surprised if you didn't enter." Nino said jokingly. Marinette smiled shyly, noticing that Adrien's gaze turned toward her. "Well, I do love to design and sew clothing. S-so this would r-really be a great opportunity to showcase my talent." Alya nodded. "You'll definitely get in girl. All of your designs are perfect! And designing a shirt should be a piece of cake." Marinette turned to her best friend and smiled. "Thank you Alya."

"Can I see some of these "perfect" designs?" Nino asked, curiously gazing at the sketchbook she had on her desk. "Oh, sure." She slid the book toward him and nervously watched his reaction. Adrien peeked over to see the designs too and a pleasantly shocked expression formed on his face. "Wow! Marinette these designs are amazing." He looked up at her and she turned beet red. "T-thank you." she said, feeling extremely flattered. "I could definitely put in a good word for you with my father." He said and winked. Marinette's mouth formed a perfect "o". "Adrien, y-you really don't have to." He smiled as he said, "It would be my pleasure." The bell rang right then, and he turned around to pack up his things. She didn't get a chance to thank him. Alya excitedly hugged her best friend. "I'm so happy for you! Not only did Adrien compliment your designs, but he offered to put in a good word for your design!" She pulled away and said, "Baby steps girl, baby steps."

Adrien didn't talk to Marinette again that day, but that was absolutely fine with Marinette. She still had to process what he said earlier. Unfortunately, she didn't get that time. Right after school, there was an akuma attack.

Chloe had managed to anger someone (surprise surprise), and now Ladybug and Chat Noir had to clean up her mess.

Ladybug and Chat Noir fist-bumped. "Off to visit your little girl friend again?' Ladybug joked. Chat Noir blushed and retorted, "Marinette is _not_ my girlfriend. She's just a friend." He then smiled and leaned in close to Ladybug's face and said, "Nobody could ever replace you my lady." Ladybug laughed and pushed him away. "Whatever you say. I'm off." And with that, she was gone.

Ladybug frantically de-transformed and waited for Chat Noir. One day, as Marinette, she saw Chat patrolling the city. She walked outside and yelled to him from her balcony. She thought it would be great fun to see how Chat acted around a civilian. They talked for a while, and Chat asked if they would see each other again. Marinette figured why not, and said yes. She never expected them to become close friends, but she didn't regret making it happen. She got to see another side of Chat and it made her happy to know that he wasn't always a flirt.

She heard a knock at her window and smiled. "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." She muttered to herself and went to open the window. "Hello Princess, didja miss me?" Chat asked jovially, sweeping her up in a hug. She laughed and hugged him back. "Maybe I did. So how was today? I heard about what happened on the ladyblog." She lied right through her teeth, but what else was she to do?

After a few minutes, a notification on her computer interrupted their conversation. "Oh hold on." Marinette said, and went to check it out. Chat followed her and grinned. "Who's that?" He asked, pointing to the background on her desktop. "Oh!" She quickly covered it up with her hands but then figured the effort was futile. He already saw.

"That's Adrien Agreste, the boy I love." Chat chuckled. "Love is a strong word princess." She turned around and raised an eyebrow at him. Her gaze was challenging. "I thought you loved Ladybug." He walked closer to her and braced his arms on the chair she was sitting in. He shrugged as he replied, "I love a lot of people." Marinette couldn't help but notice his close proximity. She also couldn't help noticing how soft his lips looked at such a close angle. "Is that so kitty?" She said quietly, and almost seductively, even though that wasn't her intention. For the most part. "Mmmhm." He murmured and leaned even closer. Their foreheads were a breath away from touching. Chat's emerald eyes searched Marinette's blue ones for permission.

Once he found what he was looking for, he closed the gap between them. Their lips collided and Marinette almost melted into Chat. His tongue skimmed her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth, giving him the permission he sought for. Their tongues swirled around and explored each other. Marinette reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. She smiled against his mouth when she found his cat ears. He purred in satisfaction as she gripped his hair tightly. "So hair pulling is your thing, huh kitty?" she hummed. " _You_ are my thing, Princess." He purred.

Shortly after that, his miraculous beeped. Chat pulled away and frowned. It was down to his last minute. How had they missed the other beeps? Marinette gasped and started pushing him towards her window. "You've got to go kitty cat. I should've never let it go on so long." She muttered the last part and Chat stopped her in her tracks. "I hope you don't regret what we did." He sounded hesitant and Marinette shook her head. "No, but I don't want you to run out of time." He cheekily grinned at her and was almost out of her hair when he said, "I'll see you later. Let's do this again next time."

She sighed as she flopped onto her bed. She glanced over at her computer chair. Just moments ago she was making out with Chat on it. Now he was gone, and back to whoever he was under the mask.

Adrien snuck into his home again and de-transformed just in time. He sat on his bed and took a moment to process what just happened. He found out that Marinette has a crush on him, and he made out with her. Huh. "Way to go. So, for suffering through that, do you think you could get me some extra camembert?" Plagg asked, settling into his makeshift bed on Adrien's nightstand. "Sure thing, Plagg." Adrien replied distractedly. His mind wouldn't stop twisting and turning for the whole night.

 **AN: Hello! This is the first fanfiction of mine that I have decided to publish. I hope that by publishing this I can be stricter about actually finishing a story for once, haha. Please, do leave feedback down below! I would love advice on how to improve my writing to make it more enjoyable for others and to get my point more easily across. (: I appreciate all feedback, so thank you if you leave some! Alright, I guess that's all for now. I will try to update soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

Thankfully, this morning was not like the last. Marinette woke up at 7am sharp, and had enough time to put on some makeup. It was a luxury she couldn't afford yesterday. Also, Tikki wouldn't stop talking Mari's ear off about the kiss with Chat yesterday.

"I know you guys have been getting closer, what with him coming over and all, but are you sure about continuing this-this _thing_ with Chat Noir? What about Adrien? What are you going to do about him? Oh dear you messed up your eyeliner let me help you fix that." As Tikki dashed off to grab a makeup wipe Marinette pondered what Tikki had said. What _was_ she going to do about Adrien? She still loved him, she really, truly, did. But now there was Chat to add into the equation.

She couldn't just pretend like yesterday's little make-out session didn't happen. Though, she knew it would tear her apart to keep her relationship with Chat going while seeing Adrien every day at school. It's not like she's dating Adrien, but she felt like it would be dishonest of her to see Chat while crushing on Adrien. She couldn't just abandon her crush like that. Oh gosh, what a mess she had gotten herself into. Not that it was all her fault; that peskily charming cat wasn't helping her case with his seductive smiles and provocative paws.

Tikki came back with a makeup wipe and helped a dreary Marinette finish her makeup. After that Marinette decided to just go to school early. What's the point of staying home? She might just make herself late again. It was 7:30 when she left the house. She had Tikki in her pouch, along with some cookies of course, and determination in her stride. Today she would talk to Chat about her troubled thoughts. Surely they could find a solution, they always do.

As she climbed up the steps in front of the school, she paused. She thought she heard someone calling her name. She turned around and saw Adrien waving at her. He was smiling brightly. She turned around to see if anyone was behind her, but she was the only one standing at the top of the steps. Marinette turned back around to see Adrien's eyes sparkling with laughter and she internally groaned. She already messed up and she didn't even say hello yet.

 _Would it be possible to walk inside right now and pretend I never saw him?_ She thought.

Her feet however, pulled her toward Adrien. She slowly made her way down the steps, mainly because she didn't want to trip and fall in front of him. They met halfway and Adrien greeted her with a friendly smile and a shy wave. "What's up Marinette?" He asked casually, making his way up the steps.

"Oh, I-I'm alright. How are you?" She asked, slightly out of breath. Mari was getting a real workout. Up the stairs, then down, then up again. All the while Adrien was practically skipping up these steps. He seemed to be in a good mood. She wondered why.

Adrien still didn't believe it. Marinette, this lovely, shy, awkward, girl had a crush on him! But the Marinette that Chat knows is completely different. She's sarcastic, but not harsh; she's amazingly hilarious and talented and just such a wonderfully open girl. Are her feelings getting in the way of her opening up to him? He would have to change that.

"I'm really excited to see your design for the contest! I know it's going to be amazing based on the designs I saw in your sketchbook." Adrien said cheerfully. He watched her cheeks redden and he smiled. She blushed so easily around him.

"Oh, t-thanks Adrien. I didn't even get a chance to start working on it! Yesterday I.. I was q-quite busy." She trailed off, more red than when he complimented her. On the inside Adrien felt smug on the because he knew why. On the outside all he did was nod in understanding, hoping she didn't notice that his cheeks turned pink as well. "If you haven't started yet, then maybe we can work on it together." They were in front of their classroom now. He turned to her and leaned in slightly, "I could give you a few insider tips about the fashion line."

Marinette brightened up. A chance to spend time with Adrien? And he would basically be giving her cheats to help her win the competition! She considered the offer, but felt like cheating on the design competition wouldn't be the best idea. "While I appreciate that offer a lot, I don't want my design to be influenced by anything r-relating to the fashion line. I want to win f-fair and square." The bluenette said shyly but firmly. This made Adrien a little bit. "I admire your honestly." He said, trying to keep the conversation light. _And I admire your smile._ She thought.

She opened her mouth to say that exact thought, but ended up replying with a lame, "Thanks." _Way to go._ They settled into their seats and sat in silence for a moment. Marinette was afraid this moment would be lost forever, so she quickly said, "If you want we can still work on my shirt design together? Just no spoiling anything or giving me cheats." She laughed nervously after saying that. _Maybe he didn't want to anymore. Maybe he thought I sounded desperate. Maybe_ \- Her thoughts were cut off by Adrien's excited response. "Of course! Let's do this."

Mari found that his smile was giving her all the inspiration she would ever need to create some designs.

Adrien was sitting backwards in his seat, watching Marinette draw in her sketchbook. He was mostly watching her, though. He found it cute how her eyebrows knit together while she was concentrated, and how her nose crinkled up when she made a stray mark.

Sometimes she would look up at him and then look away, a pink color tinting her cheeks. Other times she would flip the sketchbook around and shyly ask for his opinions. He tried his best to give her advice on what to fix, but really he couldn't find anything wrong with her designs.

(I'm so bad with descriptions so bear with me you guys) One of his favorites was a pale green shirt with ¾ sleeves. The sleeves were a darker shade of minty green than the torso, but that's what made it interesting. There was a little pocket on the left breast and, according to Marinette's notes on the side of the page, it was supposed to have a little embroidered kitten popping out. Adrien took out a pen of his own and added a little star right above the design. He wanted her to remember that was his favorite.

"I guess we know which one I'll enter in to the competition, but just in case I need to make other designs." She and Adrien shared a laugh at that. After that, a very excited Alya and Nino joined them. Soon, class started and she had to put her sketchbook away, and Adrien had to turn around.

Alya was giving Marinette a look that said, _You really have to tell me what happened at the beginning of class with Adrien because I am about to burst you two were so cute._

Marinette gave her a look back that said, _Oh girl, don't worry I'll tell you everything. And it was_ super _cute!_

How, exactly, they could decipher so clearly what each other's looks meant was a mystery to others, but to Alya and Marinette it was second nature.

After class, Alya grabbed onto Marinette's arm to stop her from packing up her books. "What happened at the beginning of class?" She asked excitedly, her body practically humming. "Are you making some progress in the Adrien department?" Marinette blushed and gave her friend a shrug.

"Honestly I'm not sure how it even happened. I woke up early today, and decided to go to school early. When I got here I heard Adrien calling my name! So then…" The two were talking as they walked out of the classroom, Marinette excitedly gesturing with her hands, and Alya giving her her full attention. Sadly, there was a storm brewing not too far away. Chloe had overheard their conversation, and was currently complaining to Sabrina about it as they walked to their next class.

"Can you _believe_ her? Making up lies like that? Adrien would _never_ show an interest in her! Why would he? She's a just a plain old commoner. And also absolutely delusional if she thinks she's _'making progress in the Adrien department'_." Chloe made the pitch of her voice rise as she impersonated Alya. "Ugh. Unbelievable."

Sabrina noticed that Chloe was really distraught over this. "I can't believe this." Sabrina agreed, trying to appease her so called "best friend".

Chloe mischievously grinned over her shoulder at Sabrina. "I think we should do something to put that tramp in her place. I happen to have the perfect plan." Chloe pulled Sabrina to the side and whispered the plan into her ear. "Oh, that's good." Sabrina whispered to Chloe.

Chloe giggled and sashayed her hair. "I know."

Poor Marinette had no idea that any of this was happening behind her back.

The rest of the day was almost uneventful. Although, Alya did point out Chloe peering at Marinette and then furiously scribbling in her notebook. "What the hell is she up to?" Alya muttered. Marinette wondered the same thing. This didn't look like it was going to be good for anyone.

 **AN: Hey guys! Thank you so much for the kind reviews on the last chapter! (: I appreciate them a lot, and it really motivated me to write this one haha. I tried to progress the story as much as I could here, but I don't want to rush things. I swear the plot with advance soon! So if you have any feedback for me please leave it below, I appreciate all of the reviews! Okay sorry I'm getting repetitive now; I'll try to update soon! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

When she got home later that day, she noticed a certain black cat sitting outside on her balcony railing. She opened the window and poked her head out. "Chat." She said softly, not wanting to startle him. He turned around and grinned at her. "Princess! How are you doing this fine evening?" Marinette just rolled her eyes and popped back inside. Chat obediently followed her. They sat on her chaise lounge chair facing each other; she was sitting cross-legged on the edge, and he was leaning against the frame. "Well, the answer to your previous question is great. I'm doing great. But anyway! Something really interesting happened today!" Chat grinned, already knowing what the next topic of their conversation would be. "What happened?" He asked. Marinette told him about her confrontation with Adrien, smiling way too much and even blushing. Chat added in his share of reactions, such as "Oh my gosh!" and "Did he really?"

It made him happy to see her so excited. And all he had to do was go up and talk to her at school.

"So, Adrien really makes you this happy?" Chat asked curiously. Marinette nodded and happily sighed. "He does."

 _But why?_ Chat thought. _What's so good about me Mari?_ He sat up straighter and glided closer to Marinette. "Why do you love him?" He asked her. His tone was a little more serious than she expected it to be. "So many reasons." She replied, then paused and smiled smugly. She leaned toward him and said, "Why do you love Ladybug?" Mari simply wanted to keep things lighthearted until he had to go.

Chat was conflicted. Should he let her switch the subject or keep pushing for answers? He saw the confidence flicker in her eyes when he didn't respond quickly, so he decided to forget about it. He would ask her some other time. "So many reasons."

They gazed into each other's eyes for a while, and Marinette saw the questioning look in his eyes. She sighed, and figured she would answer his question if he was _that_ curious about it.

"Well," she said, leaning back. "I love him because he's such a good person." _No, I'm not_ , Chat thought.

"He's so kind and caring and perfect." She closed her eyes and pictured the blonde haired beauty. She smiled, then glanced over at Chat. "He always looks for the good in people." At this, Chat cocked his head. "Oh really?" He asked. "Mhm," Marinette confirmed. "After all, he's nice to Chloe! Unless she's being a major asshole, but he always tries to be nice to everyone. I just can't stand her." Marinette paused, a slight memory tugging at her brain. Was she forgetting something?

"Oh wait! Oh my gosh Chat I wanted to talk to you about Chloe!" She sat up immediately and cursed herself for not remembering sooner. She really wanted his input on this. She wanted to know she wasn't just being paranoid.

As soon as she opened her mouth to begin telling Chat about Chloe, his miraculous beeped. Mari shut her mouth and pouted. "He glanced down at his miraculous and then up at Marinette. "I still have a few more minutes Princess." She shook her head. "I don't want you to be late like last night." She said softly, avoiding his eyes. She really just wanted him to stay so she could talk to him all night. She knew if he saw that wanting in her eyes, he would stay and then it would be like yesterday all over again. Not that she would mind kissing him again. At this thought her cheeks turned pink.

Chat leaned over and gently grabbed her chin in his hands. He turned her head to face his and kissed her softly. It was short and sweet, and it took away Mari's sadness. "I'll see you soon." He promised her, and then opened her window and left.

She stared at the spot where he just sat and frowned. If only she knew the boy behind the mask. Perhaps then they could talk whenever they wanted to for however long they wanted to. She sighed and went over to start on her homework. That was one luxury she wished she could have.

The next week passed by without any major incidents. Chloe was still up to no good; constantly whispering to Sabrina whenever Marinette passed by and always scribbling away in her notebook. It was kind of scary. The blonde haired she-devil had never gone so long without upsetting at least one person.

But, on the other hand, Adrien was talking to Marinette more and more. Most mornings he would chat with her until class started, and they would sometimes walk to their next classes together. Marinette was practically in heaven.

But of course, this was only the calm before the storm.

Marinette woke up on a Wednesday morning with a dreadful feeling in her stomach. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew that something about today wasn't right. There was a bad vibe in the air.

As she was styling her hair that morning she asked Tikki if she felt it too. "Oh yeah, I can sense something weird in the air today Mari. You've got to be careful. Maybe hawkmoth is up to something." Tikki shuddered and Marinette frowned. Maybe that was it.

When Marinette got to school, she saw Alya waiting for her at the top of the steps. "Oh my gosh! Girl come here I have something to show you!" Mari quickly jogged over to the steps and practically flew up them. Her purse snagged on the railing but she managed to get free and follow Alya into the building. When they got into homeroom Alya pulled out her phone and started to pull up the ladyblog. "Did you see my latest update on the Ladyblog?" Marinette sheepishly shook her head and Alya excitedly told her everything.

"I was just outside last night throwing the trash away when I saw Chat patrolling the city. I took my phone out to snap a pic of course. That's when I realized that he was walking with someone!"

Alya shoved her phone right under Marinette's nose. "Look at this! It seems to be the silhouette of a girl! Sadly, she was wearing a hoodie that obscured most of her face but," She took her phone back and stared at the picture. "you can kind of see her smiling. Who do you think this mystery girl is? Do you think he has a girlfriend?" At that moment Adrien walked into the classroom, with Nino trailing behind him.

"Who has a girlfriend?" Adrien asked, setting his bag down and sitting down. Nino sat facing them as well, already interested in their conversation topic. Alya's eyes sparkled; she loved telling people about her Ladyblog and what was on it. "Apparently Chat Noir! Did you see this picture?" She shoved her phone in Adrien and Nino's face, just as she did with Marinette.

Adrien paled slightly but then coughed and tried to play it cool. "Oh wow. I thought he was in love with Ladybug though?" Nino said, and Adrien frowned internally. He never even knew that picture had been taken of him and Mari. _How did she react to this?_ He wondered.

Before they could discuss the picture further, the teacher walked in and started class.

"Alright class, settle down. Before we begin though, I would like to know if any of the girls here lost their purse? I saw one hanging from the railing of the steps."

Marinette's eyes widened as she noticed the absence of her purse. Marinette raised her hand. "That was me. May I go get it?" The teacher nodded. "Be quick." Was all she said.

Marinette practically ran through the school. Poor Tikki! Did she even know that she had been forgotten?

She burst through the doors and sighed in relief. Her bag was dangling from the railing. As she grabbed it and put the strap over her shoulders, a sleek, white, limo arrived. The only other person besides Adrien that arrived in a limo was-

"Madame Bourgeois, we have arrived." Her driver said as he opened the door for her. Chloe angrily got out of the car and shoved him out of the way, causing his hat to fall off. "Finally." The poor man was gathering his hat and glowering at the blonde witch. "I can't believe I'm this late! Do you have _any_ idea how _terrible_ this is going to look on my attendance record?"

 _You're always late, what would it matter._ Marinette scowled at Chloe from her hiding spot behind the railing.

"I'm sorry Madame Bourgeois, but I was told to drive you to school when you're ready. You weren't ready until later this morning, I couldn't contr-" He was interrupted by Chloe gasping. "You're blaming me now?" The driver's face went red. "Madame Bourgeois, that is not what I said," he said through clenched teeth, trying to stay calm. Marinette felt bad for him. "What a spoiled brat. She needs to be put in her place." He muttered under his breath. Thankfully, Chloe just ignored him and walked away.

But that wasn't the end of it. Not by a long shot.

Marinette was watching Chloe walk away, so she didn't see the black butterfly floating toward the fuming driver. But she definitely noticed the angry yell coming from where he once stood. Instead, standing in his place was an angry man dressed like a king.

He was wearing what looked like a silver tunic with a gold trim. Belts were crisscrossed loosely around his abdomen, one containing a strap that held his sword. Around his neck was his burgundy cape, fastened to the tunic with a medallion. He had metal shoulder and knee pads, matching the metal shoes and gloves he wore. On his head, however, was not a crown. It was the hat that Marinette had seen Chloe knock off of his head earlier.

That's where the akuma must be! She thought. The bluenette ran further behind the school and opened her purse. "We've got a situation!" Marinette whispered into the pouch. Tikki quickly finished the cookie she was eating and nodded, letting Mari know she was ready. "Tikki, transform me!"

 **AN: Hello! Sorry for uploading so late today, but I wanted to get this chapter in. I don't think I will be able to upload tomorrow, and if I do it might be a short chapter, just wanted to let you know. If you have any feedback please feel free to leave it down below. I appreciate all of your reviews! That's all I have to say, so thank you for reading this chapter and I'll try to update soon(:**


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